<p>I’m majoring in computer science and both schools have given me simple financial aid packages. Northeastern has co ops and that’s the main reason I’m leaning towards NEU. Which do you guys think will be better for me</p>
<p>Dear sadrusaleem : Let’s do a geometry proof.</p>
<p>Given : Majoring in Computer Science
Given : Similar Financial Aid
Given : Northeastern Co-Op Program
Prove : Northeastern > Boston College</p>
<p>If the presence of a co-op program is your fulcrum for deciding, the given is the proof.</p>
<p>Turning from mathematical rigor and logic to some level of emotion, you will want to consider possible undergraduate research opportunities or potential graduate school references from both schools.</p>
<p>Take a very careful look at the writing component from both schools as technical writing is a skill set woefully missing in many computer scientists (“we don’t do documentation”) that will certainly help differentiate you with a Boston College education. With the increasing globalization (off-shoring) of “code cutting”, superior architecture, high level design, and low level design documentation is becoming an increasingly important differentiator among top computer science students.</p>
<p>@scottj
Thanks for the advice but which school would you prefer? I’ve looked at the computer science rankings on US News and Boston College is nowhere on the list but Northeastern is Ranked 15th in programming. So it appears to me that Northeastern wins out with its co-op programs.</p>
<p>Dear sadrusaleem : Truth be told, my background is deeply involved in technology (computer software specifically). Given the outsourcing move and overall decreased quality seen since the mid-1990s techno-bubble, it is difficult for me to actually recommend a pure computer science degree. Based on the landscape that I see right now, a biology/CS or chemistry/CS combination where scientific modeling is required would be the healthiest path forward given your programming passion.</p>
<p>To answer your question, I naturally prefer Boston College for its overall academic rigor however if your passion is purely computer science, Northeastern will win based on the numbers.</p>